Embark on a Budget: Save Some Serious Cash Now on Future Cruises

Cruise West puts summer outings to Alaska on sale now, Norwegian Coastal Voyage offers discounts to repeat customers and we report on a wealth of discounts from online providers.

Cruise West Offers Holiday Discounts on Summer Alaska

Cruise West (tel. 800/203-7043; www.cruisewest.com), the largest small-ship cruise line in U.S., is offering savings on summer 2006 Alaska cruises to anyone who books before December 9, 2005.

• 3- & 4-night Glacier Bay Highlights Cruise (round-trip Juneau) and 4- & 5-night Inside Passage Daylight Yacht Tours (Ketchikan-Juneau): $200 savings for departures before June 15, $100 for departures after June 15. Guests save an additional $100 per person by paying in full at time of booking.
• 24-night In Harriman's Wake Cruise (Vancouver-Anchorage): $1,600 per person savings on the May 28 sailing; $800 per person savings on the June 19, July 13, and August 4 sailings.
• 11-night Coastal Odyssey (Vancouver-Anchorage): $800 savings for cruises departing before June 15; $400 savings for trips departing after June 15. Guests save an additional $200 per person by paying in full at time of booking.
• 13-night Voyage to the Bering Sea (round-trip Anchorage): $800 savings for cruises departing before June 15; $400 savings for trips departing after June 15. Guests save an additional $200 per person by paying in full at time of booking.
• 8-night Alaska's Inside Passage, 8-night Wilderness Inside Passage, 8-night Best of Both Worlds, and 10-night Gold Rush Inside Passage cruises: $400 per person savings on cruises departing prior to June 15; $200 savings for departures after June 15. Guests save an additional $100 per person by paying in full at time of booking.

Norwegian Coastal Voyage Offers Repeater Discount

Norwegian Coastal Voyage (tel. 800/323-7436; www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us) is rewarding guests who have sailed the line recently with a nice discount: 20% off on 6-, 7- and 12-day sailings departing daily between January 1 and May 31, 2006 (May 30 sailing excluded). The voyage sails the fjord-indented coast of Norway between Bergen and Kirkenes, above the Arctic Circle. To qualify, travelers must have sailed with the line since January 1, 2000. Regular published fares for 6-day voyages are $869 to $1,871 per person; 7-day trips are $1,058 to $2,279; and 12-day round-trips are $1,580 to $3,402. Savings per cabin run from $174 to $456 per person on one-way itineraries and $316 to $680 on round-trip voyages and apply to new bookings in all cabins except suites. Travelers aged 67 and up are also eligible for $85 to $155 senior discounts.

What the Travel Agencies Are Offering

Here are some of the best deals a handful of major travel agencies are advertising this week. Cruises are capacity-controlled and offers may be withdrawn at any time. Similar deals may be available from competing online and brick-and-mortar agencies. All rates are per person and include port charges. Rates for the ultra-luxe lines may also include gratuities and some or all beverages.

Chartwell Vacations (tel. 800/772-2103; www.chartwelltravel.com)

• Carnival Conquest: 7-night western Caribbean cruise, round-trip from Galveston. From $599, February 12 sailing.
• Carnival Inspiration: 4-night western Caribbean New Years cruise round-trip from Tampa. From $529, December 29 sailing.
• Celebrity Constellation: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $600, January 28 and February 11 sailings
• Celebrity Zenith: 5-night western Caribbean cruise round-trip from Miami. From $220, December 12 sailing.
• MSC Cruises Lirica: 10-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $575 (quad accommodations), December 17 sailing.
• MSC Cruises Lirica: 11-night Panama & western Caribbean New Years, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $1,350, December 27 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Star: 7-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $649, January 28 sailing.

Cruise Brothers (tel. 800/827-7779; www.cruisebrothers.com)

• Celebrity Infinity: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $600, January 15 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Crown: 14-night escorted South America, Santiago (Chile) to Buenos Aires (Argentina). From $1,349, March 12 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Dawn: 10-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from New York City. From $1,049, April 16 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Dream: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Houston. From $549, February 4 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Jewel: 7-night Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $579, November 27 sailing.
• NCL Pride of Aloha: 7-night Hawaii, round-trip from Honolulu. From $699, November 27 and December 4, 11, and 18 sailings.
• Orient Lines Marco Polo: 11-night Antarctica, round-trip from Ushuaia, Argentina. From $2,999, January 3 sailing.
• Princess Caribbean Princess: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $599, January 7 sailing.
• Princess Caribbean Princess: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $649, February 4 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $649, December 10 sailing.

CruisesOnly (tel. 800/278-4737; www.cruisesonly.com)

• Carnival Valor: 7-night eastern Caribbean round-trip from Miami From $599, February 26 sailing.
• Celebrity Century: 7-night Western Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $550, February 11 sailing.
• Holland America Statendam: 7-night Hubbard Glacier Discovery, Vancouver to Seward. From $699, May 19 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Spirit: 10-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from New York. From $699, January 19 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas: 4-night Bahamas, round-trip from Miami. From $319, January 23 and 30 sailings.

Vacation Outlet (tel. 800/690-2210; www.vacationoutlet.com)

• Carnival Liberty: 6-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $529, February 12 and 26 sailings
• Celebrity Century: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $600, February 4 sailing.
• Holland America Volendam: 10-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $899, January 22 sailing
• NCL Norwegian Sun: 3-night Bahamas, round-trip from Miami. From $194, January 17 sailing
• Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas: 4-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $449, January 12 sailing.

Vacation Shoppe (tel. 866/727-8473; www.vacationshoppe.com)

• Celebrity Century: 10-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $750, January 2 sailing.
• Celebrity Century: 2-night Bahamas, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $150, January 12 sailing.
• Celebrity Constellation: 12-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from Bayonne, NJ. From $1,150, March 26 sailing.
• Celebrity Millennium: 2-night cruise to nowhere, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $150, December 2 sailing.
• Celebrity Summit: 15-night Hawaiian Islands, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $2,300, December 18 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Enchantment: 4-night Bahamas, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $269, December 15 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Grandeur: 4-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Tampa. From $249, January 19 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Jewel: 6-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $549, January 2 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Mariner: 6-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Port Canaveral. From $699, January 2 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Radiance: 6-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $549, January 2 sailing.

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